Chucky Hepburn: Louisville Tenure 'Brought a Lot of Life Back into Me'

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Sitting in a locker room deep in the underbelly of Rupp Arena, Chucky Hepburn was understandably overcome with emotions. Minutes earlier, the point guard for the Louisville men's basketball program had just been dealt what was the final loss of his lengthy collegiate career: an 89-75 loss to Creighton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament

"It's really over, man," Hepburn said after a few moments to regain his composure and gather his thoughts.

Reality was still in the process of setting in for Hepburn, as he fought back tears during his breakout session with reporters. While a season-ending loss, regardless of the level of competition, is sure to elicit an emotional response, these waves of emotions were a sign of what Louisville truly meant to him. In a way, it helped save him.

"I had a blast this season with this group," he said. "I say this all the time and tell them all the time that this is the most fun I've had playing college basketball. They brought a lot of life back into me that I thought would never happen again. This coaching staff, this group, the GA's, athletic, trainer, strength coach, everybody in this program. They gave me life again. It's the most happy I've been playing college basketball."

Coming from someone with as much experience as Hepburn, this statement carries a lot of weight behind it. A three-year starter at Wisconsin, he tallied 1,013 points, 313 assists and 161 steals over 103 starts as a Badger. Landing someone of Hepburn's caliber out of the portal was a major win for first-year head coach Pat Kelsey.

While Kelsey and his staff at large might not have known it, they helped Hepburn as much as he helped elevated them. The Omaha, Neb. native came to Louisville with a fractured sense of confidence, and over time, they made him feel whole again.

"It's special, man," he said when asked what it was like to be a part of this team. "When I first transferred here, a lot of confidence in me was just lost. I didn't think I would be able to be myself again. But as time went on with teammates, with the coaches, they just instilled their confidence back in me. Just to be able to step back on the floor again, and just have that confidence, I'm grateful."

Hepburn put together a fantastic season, averaging 16.2 points, 5.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds - all of which were career-highs. Not only did he earn First-Team All-ACC honors, he was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, and even earned a First-Team All-American nod from The Field of 68.

He was the straw that stirred the drink for a team that helped re-establish Louisville as a nationally relevant program. Kelsey guided the Cardinals to a 27-7 record heading into the NCAA Tournament, and he took home ACC Coach of the Year honors after his squad finished second in the league standing and the ACC Tournament runner-up.

Despite getting a less-than favorable draw for the Big Dance, Louisville was starting to generate some momentum as a team who could potentially do some damage this March. Creighton, obviously, had other ideas.

While Hepburn and the rest of his team was incredibly disappointed with how the season ended, he still feels a sense of accomplishment in another regard. Transferring into a program that was at the lowest point in their 110-year history, he and the rest of what Kelsey calls the "25 Strong" helped rekindle the city's love for basketball. He knows that, moving forward, they are the foundation for what should help be a strong era of hoops in the Ville.

"It hurts so much knowing that we lost, that we just played our last game together," he said. "But we played a hell of a season. We revived a city that was down. All we wanted to do was bring them happiness, have them wear Louisville Cardinal pride, and give them something to brag about. That's what we try to do every time we step on the floor. It sucks, but no doubt in my mind, this team, this program, will be right back next season."

(Photo of Chucky Hepburn: Jordan Prather - Imagn Images

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